Yesterday the folks behindFirefly Online, a multi-user strategic roleplaying game set in the universe of Joss Whedon’s universe, announced Wil Wheaton as the voice actor for the male player character. Today, The Mary Sue has the honor of revealing his counterpart—Courtenay Taylor!

If you’re not familiar with her face, you might be familiar with her voice. Taylor has voiced characters including Jack from Mass Effect, Lady Chaos from Starcraft II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, God of War, Dragon Age: Origins, and Regular Show.

“She was one of dozens of actors who auditioned for the role, but her performance blew us all away and was the final choice,” Andy Gore, Executive Producer for Firefly Online told The Mary Sue, “It’s a challenging part: The player character has the greatest number of lines, the most Chinese to speak, a huge range of emotions, and must be a master of the Firefly patois.”

Gore also told us, “Both the male and female player characters will be working off exactly the same script and will be presented the same choices. In space, the only thing that matters is your brain, your aim and how fast you can get to hard burn.”

Well said.

You can stay up to date on Firefly Online, set to be released Spring of 2015 on Windows and Mac OS desktop via Steam, as well as iOS and Android OS mobile devices, on their Facebook and Twitter pages, and keep up with all the latest and greatest news, information and Big Damn Hero video interviews by downloading the free Firefly Cortex app at http://www.keepflying.com/cortex.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/exclusive-firefly-online-female-player-character-actor/feed/0PBS Game/Show Tackles the Racist Pitfalls That Can Go Along With NPCs of Color in Video Games - Yeah, I have always been a little side-eye about the Gerudo. http://www.themarysue.com/pbs-gameshow-racism-npcs-of-color/
http://www.themarysue.com/pbs-gameshow-racism-npcs-of-color/#commentsWed, 18 Feb 2015 17:30:32 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=284081

Jamin Warren brings up a lot of good points about how the player agency which lies at the heart of most games often results in dehumanized NPCs, which become doubly problematic when PCs are majority white and/if NPCs are predominantly brown. He also tackles the common sci-fi/fantasy trope of using inter-species conflict as a metaphor for inter-racial conflict, one that I’ve been mulling over myself for a while now.

I believe it’s important to tie racial understanding to our visions of human advancement, but at what point does pretending that future humanity has sorted out racism just become a crutch for writers who are nervous or unwilling to tackle those issues? Inter-species conflict can be a powerful metaphor for racial tension, but when does it become so accepted as a trope that it loses that metatextual punch? Can we build escapist adventure stories about fighting “usually neutral evil” orcs and kobolds while at the same time acknowledging that imagining a group of sentient beings to be universally evil with some exceptions is one of the worst aspects of human nature and history?

They’re big questions, but, after all, big questions are what good stories are for.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/pbs-gameshow-racism-npcs-of-color/feed/0We Mashed Up Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four Trailer With Interstellar’s Audio, and It’s Uncomfortably Similar - I think I've seen this movie before...http://www.themarysue.com/the-interstellar-four/
http://www.themarysue.com/the-interstellar-four/#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 19:13:00 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=278416Fantastic Four reboot trailer reminded us of a lot of things, but none more strongly than the trailers for Interstellar. So, we gave it a run through the Nolan-ifier for you, and it's so perfect you can barely tell the difference. Be sure to watch all the way to through. Enjoy.]]>

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The Fantastic Four reboot trailer reminded us of a lot of things, but none more strongly than the trailers for Interstellar. So, we gave it a run through the Nolan-ifier for you, and it’s so perfect you can barely tell the difference. Be sure to watch all the way to through. Enjoy.

But what other memories does the trailer drudge up for the Internet’s never-forgetting hordes? Maybe Josh Trank’s just been playing a lot of Mass Effect, OK?

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/the-interstellar-four/feed/0Very First Animation Tests Of Mass Effect Were Of FemShep, Says Lead Animator - HELL yeah!http://www.themarysue.com/first-animation-tests-mass-effect-femshep/
http://www.themarysue.com/first-animation-tests-mass-effect-femshep/#commentsFri, 09 Jan 2015 17:33:32 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=274201Mass Effect tended to focus almost exclusively on the male avatars for a super long time, until criticism of this practice finally led to a trailer for FemShep in 2011. Which is odd, because if Lead ME cinematic animator Jonathan Cooper is to be believed, FemShep technically came first.]]>

Ten years ago this month, my very first anim test for Mass Effect. Yup, Commander Shepard was originally a woman: pic.twitter.com/FhC2E0FSrA

One of the best things about many Bioware games is that you can select the gender of the character you play, making the experience that much more immersive (and representational, too, if you’re a woman playing a woman). Despite that, the marketing for Mass Effect tended to focus almost exclusively on the male avatars for a super long time, until criticism of this practice finally led to a fan-voted default avatar and trailer for FemShep in 2011. Which is odd, because if Lead ME cinematic animator Jonathan Cooper is to be believed, FemShep technically came first.

Okay, that’s a bit reductive. Shephard was “always planned to be both male and female” after Bioware’s Jade Empire, Cooper notes—that’s also where the mocap for this animation test was repurposed from. But usually when there’s a gender option, the male version is designed first and the female version is later reskinned from that original animation, so the fact that Cooper’s very first tests depicted a woman Shephard is still somewhat of a novelty.

So is this, also:

And another one. A parametric incline blend based on checking ground normals. Some games still don’t do this. pic.twitter.com/BNwvp1LXDY

This doesn’t technically make FemShep the definitive canonical Shephard, as Bioware insists that there isn’t one (they do a pretty good job obfuscating their gender even in the comics, such as in Mass Effect: Redemption where . Nor does it excuse all the MaleShep-heavy marketing, of course. But hey, if this new bit of information further allows you to decide in your head that FemShep is the one true Shep and shall have no other Sheps before her, then who are we to deny you?

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-704/feed/0Things We Saw Today: Paul Rudd’s Hair-tastic College Yearbook Photohttp://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-703/
http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-703/#commentsWed, 26 Nov 2014 23:30:16 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=263347Reddit found this incredibly cool shot of Paul Rudd from his time at the University of Kansas. What do you think Karl is doing right now? (via Jezebel)

What if Our Money Were Designed to Celebrate Science Instead of Presidents? (via Wired)

BEST NEWS EVER! Londoners, soon you’ll be able to bounce your way to work… on a trampoline! (via usvsth3m)

The Day After The Comet Landing, Everyone Was Listening To Aerosmith. Nerds. (via io9)

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-703/feed/0BioWare Designs Custom Mass Effect Level To Help Woman Propose To Her Partner - I haven't gotten this emotional since I finished the third game. http://www.themarysue.com/bioware-marriage-proposal/
http://www.themarysue.com/bioware-marriage-proposal/#commentsTue, 11 Nov 2014 17:36:48 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=259589

You may have noticed that the world hasn’t been entirely awesome for women who game as of late. So here, have a story that will make your GamerGate-weary heart grow three sizes this day.

Jackie and Amy are both huge Mass Effect fans, so when Jackie decided she wanted to propose to her partner, she contacted the Montréal studio for their help. Jackie wanted to be able to propose to Amy in-game, so studio manager Marie-Renée Brisebois sent out an immediate call to developers for help with the project.

After assembling a writer, level designer, and QA analyst – who all worked on the project free of charge – the team created a brand-new Mass Effect level. They made realistically difficult while also making it impossible for Amy’s character to die (so she wouldn’t have to start over), and also included some references to Jackie and Amy’s relationship (while still keeping it subtle enough that Amy wouldn’t be tipped off).

Brisebois sent Jackie and Amy a letter, saying that they had won a contest called “A Day with Our Devs” at PAX East, and that they were invited to tour the Montréal studio and test out Mass Effect 4. Here’s how the adorableness went down:

Once she reached the end of the level, Amy walked into a room with a lone console in the center that had her and Jackie’s names for one another spray-painted on the wall in 50-foot high graffiti. When she clicked on the console, a message popped up: “Dear Amy, Jackie would like to ask you something.

Love,

All of us at BioWare”

Jackie then got down on one knee, took out a ring, and proposed.

Amy said yes.

Brisebois called it “a beautiful sight to see” and that everyone in the room smiled and teared up. Lead level designer Colin Campbell agreed, saying “I think video games are powerful and an incredible form of art and entertainment and interaction, but they don’t often get two people married. There are only a few stories like that in history, and it’s awesome to be part of one of them.”

You can read the full story (plus super-sweet photos) over on the BioWare blog. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go cry happy tears for eight days until Dragon Age Inquisition comes out.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/bioware-marriage-proposal/feed/0Happy N7 Day! Watch BioWare’s Mass Effect Livestream Here At 1pmE - "It's just the original trilogy—but you get to play as BLASTO."http://www.themarysue.com/n7-day-livestream/
http://www.themarysue.com/n7-day-livestream/#commentsFri, 07 Nov 2014 17:19:44 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=258967Mass Effect trilogy for next-gen consoles. Can you imagine? Next-gen Garrus?! Be still my heart!
]]>Watch live video from BioWare on www.twitch.tv

November 7th is N7 Day for all you members of the Systems Alliance! To celebrate the day, BioWare is hosting a developer roundtable at 1pmE/10amP. The prevailing rumor floating around the extranet is that they’re going to announce a remastered version of the Mass Effect trilogy for next-gen consoles. Can you imagine? Next-gen Garrus?! Be still my heart!

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/n7-day-livestream/feed/0Late to the Game: A First-Timer Imposes Order On the Chaos of Mass Effect 1 - Anticipation: Being able to romance Garrus in the next game.http://www.themarysue.com/late-to-the-game-bioware-mass-effect/
http://www.themarysue.com/late-to-the-game-bioware-mass-effect/#commentsFri, 10 Oct 2014 15:00:59 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=250979Welcome to new(ish) series Late to the Game, where Sarah Ingram of The Geekmates reviews games that she’s shamefully left unplayed up to this point. It’s like newbie recaps, but not. First was Dragon Age: Origins, and now, by popular demand, it's Mass Effect 1. ]]>

Welcome to new(ish) series Late to the Game, where Sarah Ingram of The Geekmates reviews games that she’s shamefully left unplayed up to this point. It’s like newbie recaps, but not. First was Dragon Age: Origins, and now, by popular demand, it’s Mass Effect 1. Scroll to the bottom for a few options as to what you can peer pressure Sarah into playing next.

Side note: I previously played Mass Effect 2 a couple years ago, but before the trilogy was available on PS3. SOOOO, I went into this knowing A) about “the choice” and B) the default choices for ME2 without importing a character are awful: Wrex dies, Ashley dies, and the Council dies, with jerk Udina in charge. Blech.

I intended to fix this.

I was super pumped (and secretly wishing) that Mass Effect would win the vote for my next catch up game for a couple reasons. I was on a BioWare high, I wanted to make more sense of ME2, and most of all I wanted to get my buddies Dave, Sam, and Ness off my back about it (love youuuuuu).

I tried to make my Shepard look like a mix of myself and Janeway, because Janeway is the best thing ever and I don’t really need another reason than that. I also chose a sexy red lipstick because I like to feel saucy when I’m killing bad things. I named her “Fem.” It seemed appropriate.

She ended up looking more like Summer Glau. I am not complaining.

OH MAN that game intro. I feel super badass without even doing anything, and I am already excited to kick lots of butts. The voice acting is on point in this, especially for FemShep—Jennifer Hale knows what she’s doing (I have a total lady boner), and it was especially refreshing after playing a silent elf in Dragon Age: Origins.

Game time! Anderson reminds me what’s on the go, and on I went to Eden Prime for my first mission. I have to say off the bat I am super suspicious of Nihlus. I know there’s a Turian that ends up being a super bad dude, and he definitely fits the bill. Like, give me a minute and wait for me, dude. I need to keep an eye on you. Kaidan is already giving me eyes, even now over Jenkins’ dead corpse. I can tell he’s gonna cause some trouble. If only he knew my heart already belonged to another…

I must admit I was having issues out the gate running and crouching. L3 is run, O is crouch, not the other way around, game! The industry needs a standard or something. C’mon guys. Overall, though, I was really impressed after the first mission. The combat felt good, and even though I don’t typically like shooters I like the feel of it (except when my weapons overheat: lame). All the characters have real, fleshed out personalities, and even though I barely know them, I care about protecting my team. My crew. The moment at the end of the Eden Prime mission when the beacon attached with Shepard—this, like, begins it all. I’m so excited for more.

Saren is quickly becoming the main threat, and in a great way, too. He’s not this “super evil” that we were after forever. He’s a rogue dude that got caught up on the wrong side of the tracks and is slowly getting more dangerous the longer things go on. It’s developed and complex, and there are so many questions to be answered. BioWare really knows how to tell a story.

After the end of the mission and getting to wander the Normandy, I finally got a chance to talk to some people. Talking to the crew members is so addictive. This is where you really learn about the huge backstory of not only the characters, but the species, the history of the world, and all of the little intricacies that make this game (and let’s be honest, most of what BioWare does) so special. It’s what keeps you coming back again and again, playing it differently, bringing other characters on missions and reacting in different ways to the same situations. It makes a game that millions play feel special to you—it’s your playthrough, your story, your universe.

The Citadel looks amazing, like a buzzing city in among the stars. I wandered for a while, got totally lost, and tried to talk to just about every single person, including my favorite new aliens, the Elcor. Oh my God they are the cutest and gentlest and I just want to cuddle them and have them tell me bedtime stories. And anytime the Ambassador says “chastising rebuke” I squee out loud and pout. Such an adult.

GARRUS I FOUND YOU I KNEW YOU WOULD BE HERE

On the Citadel, I also got to meet Wrex (YAY), deal with the idiot council (dudes need to listen and not be dumb-dumbs), learn about spectres, and meet all the super cool alien species hanging out. And let’s not forget about the side quests. There is so much to do. Like bugging the Keepers. And then accidentally putting Jahleed in jail (I’m a bad guy oops). Oh, and let’s not forget Harkin: “Secrets are like herpes. If you got ‘em, you might as well spread ‘em around.” Ew. What a gross pig. I always lean paragon, but he got a full-on renegade response from calling me sweetheart, and Shepard’s “I’d rather drink acid after chewing on razor blades” line was simply sublime.

There is a really strong relationship between Anderson and Shepard. I want to defeat Saren mostly for him, to make him proud and to make up for what Saren did to him 20 years ago. Now, after becoming a spectre (go me!), I get to do some missions! And I was so excited. Until: The Mako. This might be the most infuriating game mechanic ever. I skipped so many side missions, died a ton, and rage quit several times because of that damned thing. Fuck you, Mako.

Despite the stupidest driving machine that ever existed, I finally got Tali and then Liara. Having my full crew meant more chatting! Wrex’s backstory has to be my favorite thing of these little Normandy talks—his father, and the Crush, and the betrayal—he seems so much deeper, and sad, and less rough now. I also began to flirt with Liara. Who could resist?

I went to all the places the council suggested, following Geth and crazy scientists and gross monsters, and finished up at Noveria. And might I just say OMG THIS ONE STACKING PUZZLE KILL ME. Did anyone not cheat at this? Tell the truth. It’s like peeing in the shower. I also got a little confused here, to be honest, in terms of what I should have been doing. I was exhausted from long days and maybe didn’t pay attention too much outside of the fact that I was really there just to find Benezia once I knew she was around. One track mind.

I felt super bad for her. A powerful matriarch, reduced to a slave doing something she knew she shouldn’t be but that was completely outside her control. With all this dialogue and everything I realized I made a huge mistake not bringing Liara. I know that this would have been an amazing scene. I will need to play this again and make sure I bring her with me. (Or Google it. Because, you know).

After returning from Noveria I was approached by Kaidan and Liara, and I had to choose. I wooed them both on purpose because, selfishly, I wanted them to fight over me. But in the end I obviously had to choose Liara. Kaidan is kinda one-dimensional, and why choose a boring boy when you can have a really cool archaeologist (hello????). He didn’t put up much of a fight. I made the right choice. Now I’m batting eyelashes.

I headed to Virmire and OMG did not mess up the Mako mission part (learning!). I met Sovereign (AAHH!), calmed down Wrex (phew!), got the stuff ready, and ran all over the place getting the Normandy in and prepping the bomb. And then, of course. The choice.

I find it hilarious how video games have timers or high pressure-type moments, and then you just pause and think about it. I did it in the The Walking Dead, I did it in Dragon Age, and yes, I did it in Mass Effect. For like 20 minutes (yeahhhhh, indecisiveness).

In the end, I saved Ashley. The bomb had to go, and it made sense to go to her and let it explode no matter what. Also this is the opposite choice from what the game makes for you if you start with Mass Effect 2, so I wanted the other option. It was hard though. I didn’t particularly like how racist she was towards my boy Garrus, and I didn’t really have that big of a connection to her, compared to Wrex or Liara or Tali. But I liked the idea of going with her and then helping her come to grips with her prejudices against alien races by working with them cooperatively. She’s gonna come round—or else.

Then, SAREN!!! I went with every renegade dialogue option, because fuck that guy. The fight was pretty intense, even on casual, but he ran away on his little scooter before I could finish him off for good, and all I could think about was how much he looked like Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man.

Honestly I’m getting a little sick and tired of reporting to the council. I see why they let you hang up on them all the time. Like, I am trying my best and telling you EXACTLY WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND HOW CORRUPTED SAREN IS, and you can’t be bothered to listen. You all suck and I probably should have let you die, but I didn’t because that would make me a bad person. But we will get to that.

Captain Anderson is super badass and cool, and I love him so much. I wish he hung out in my room on the Normandy and fed my fish and would just be like “you’re doing great work for the Alliance, Shepard” every time I came into the room. Helping me break off the Normandy when it was grounded? Yes! I couldn’t have had a bigger grin on my face when he confronted Udina.

Once I was back on the Normandy Liara came to me, and it was time to get it onnnnnn. It was pretty good and a sweet moment between them, but honestly I know what it’s like with Garrus, and it just couldn’t compare to his vulnerability and pure love for Shepard. It kinda seemed like it was happening more because a dangerous mission was on the horizon and because Shepard was touched by Prothean technology than because either one of them was ready. Still, super happy I chose her and not Rumpledink.

It is finally time to go to Ilos. And so much happened. Vigil. The Mass Relays and ther Citadel being like a super covert backdoor. The keepers?! (They seemed so innocent and now it’s just sad). Vigil knows, like, everything about the reapers and Sovereign and the Protean scientists’ sacrifice, and even though we were supposed to be chasing after Saren I stood there for a good 10 minutes asking all the questions. So, technically, Saren should have won and the Reapers should have got us all. But video games so WHEEEEEEE!

I finally caught up, raced towards the conduit (almost missed it), and then get to the Citadel just to see Sovereign get in as it closes. Friggin’ butts. The scene confronting Saren was incredibly sad. I wanted to renegade the crap outta him, and I did quite a bit, but then when I realized he was fighting I chose every Paragon option I could. And then he shot himself. I had a lot of tears.

I decided to save the council (after first accidentally sacrificing them and reading about the consequences LOL), and then…

GETH SAREN SOVEREIGN BATTLE!!!!

God, I really hate boss fights with guns, and holy hell he would not hold still. Even on casual, this took me forever, and every time there was a cut scene it threw me off and his shields came back and I pretty much just ended up spinning around a whole bunch just looking for the jerk.

Finally, it was over, and we get covered in Reaper rubble. When Garrus shakes his head “no” to Anderson like I didn’t make it, and then Shepard jumps over the reaper guts: that is the moment when Garrus falls for her, I know it. After saving the alien council and risking it all for everyone, not just humanity, she broke though his rough exterior and then will someday have sexy times with him. Sexy, sexy times.

I (of course) suggested Anderson for the Council (screw youuuuu Udinaaaaaaaaa), and I am incredibly excited to play Mass Effect 2 now for a couple reasons. 1) I can import my Shepard, 2) I get what’s happening now, and 3) the crappy default choices of Mass Effect 2 are all fixed! Wrex was calmed, Ashley is saved (yay?), and the Council is finally not so hard on humanity.

I am so disappointed in myself for not playing this sooner, and now more than ever I can’t wait to replay ME2 and play ME3. And then play them again and again (hopefully on my PS4, BioWare, hmmmm?).

But my next game is up to you! I’m going to carry over the leftover four from my last post about Dragon Age: Origins, and I’m adding a new one to fill the space.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

Portal 2

Uncharted

Bravely Default

Asura’s Wrath

Maybe someday I will share the whole list of backlog games I’m pretty darn ashamed of. But not today…

Sarah Ingram is part archaeologist, part geek, and mostly runs on coffee and red wine. She is a historical archaeologist obsessed with seventeenth-century colonial taverns and social interaction; hosts a technology news and reviews show called Tech Up; and podcasts on The PVP Podcast. You can follow her on Twitter (@Cerajoy) if you enjoy a lot of Futurama quotes, wine musings, and Sony fangirling.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/late-to-the-game-bioware-mass-effect/feed/0Get Your Eva Green Fix With This New Penny Dreadful Behind-The-Scenes Featurette - With bonus and completely random Mass Effect content!http://www.themarysue.com/penny-dreadful-bts-featurette/
http://www.themarysue.com/penny-dreadful-bts-featurette/#commentsWed, 01 Oct 2014 14:52:25 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=248587Penny Dreadful, taken from the first season Blu-Ray/DVD set! It includes lots of interviews with your faves - and a few newer faces, too (Helen McCrory!). Also, at the 1:00 minute mark, the background music for this video is absolutely without question "Leaving Earth" from the Mass Effect 3 soundtrack. I can't handle the combination of Mass Effect and Penny Dreadful. I need to lie down.]]>

Here’s a frightful new behind-the-scenes segment on Penny Dreadful, taken from the first season Blu-Ray/DVD set! It includes lots of interviews with your faves – and a few newer faces, too (Helen McCrory!). Also, at the 1:00 minute mark, the background music for this video is absolutely without question “Leaving Earth” from the Mass Effect 3 soundtrack. I can’t handle the combination of Mass Effect and Penny Dreadful. I need to lie down.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/penny-dreadful-bts-featurette/feed/0Things We Saw Today: Mass Effect Costume Hoodies For Everyday Cosplay - Does this unit have enough money for all three?http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-667/
http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-667/#commentsSat, 27 Sep 2014 20:15:14 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=247560Game of Thrones cosplayers, but this bear-maiden Brienne look has to be our new favorite. Now, where's a good Jaime cosplayer when you need him? (via Fashionably Geek)
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Image title

In my book, there are few cozier ways to spend a Sunday morning than perusing the internet in search of good art. Today’s find is the work of artist Jenn So, who sells fannish prints and other goodies at her Society6 shop. I’m especially partial to the Lara Croft one. I also recommend looking very, very closely at the sheep in the last pic featured here.

Honorary space cowboy Dirk Loechel has just completed a mind-blowingly comprehensive 4,268 x 5,690-pixel chart that demonstrates the comparative size of virtually every beloved ship in all of sci-fi. The mad genius explains,

For real this time: This is the final major content update, though if there are issues I’ll still fix them. I also haven’t forgotten I wanted to vectorize the writing. It’s still on the radar. But content-wise, I think that is about all I can put in.

Also, I added the ISS. For scale. It’s on top, with a yellow frame so it’s relatively easy to find.

Part of what I love so much about this chart is it appears to be a collaboratively nerdy effort; if you can think of any vessel Loechel might have forgotten, you can head over to DeviantArt to suggest some updates. Careful, though: studies show that the more fascinating the infographic, the more likely you are to be caught mouth-open at your desk, cursor hovering eternally in the Stargate quadrant.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/spaceship-size-infographic/feed/0A Crash Course In Mass Effect’s Creative Influences and Easter Eggs - So THAT'S the deal with Shifty Looking Cow.http://www.themarysue.com/did-you-know-mass-effect/
http://www.themarysue.com/did-you-know-mass-effect/#commentsSun, 14 Sep 2014 21:00:00 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=242296ME3 multiplayer off and on for two and a half years, and I have yet to unlock a single Asari character. I don't even care what class it is at this point. I just know that multiplayer mode has it out for me.]]>

Here’s a fun fact not mentioned in this video: I have been playing ME3 multiplayer off and on for two and a half years, and I have yet to unlock a single Asari character. I don’t even care what class it is at this point. I just know that multiplayer mode has it out for me.

There are a few interesting Whovian tidbits you might want to know about before tomorrow’s episode, including a brand-new episode synopsis, and… some Americans who basically just can’t handle Peter Capaldi’s Scottish awesomeness. Och aye!

Despite the fact that Karen Gillan was her Scottish self for many seasons without much issue, Americans are apparently having trouble understanding Capaldi’s particular cadence. Tons of US-based Tweets (and a few from the UK too, surprisingly), especially after the season 8 premiere “Deep Breath,” said things like “I need subtitles,” “Can’t understand the show anymore without closed captions,” and “My dad can’t understand [Capaldi's] Scottish accent.” Here’s a few more we dug up:

I can’t be the only one who thinks Peter Capaldi is difficult to understand. — Big Tuna (@ZCottamTX) September 7, 2014

But it might not be the accent that’s giving people trouble; it might just be Capaldi’s delivery. One NYC-based voice coach told The Guardian Capaldi “speaks very quickly, with a staccato rhythm and without enough attention to articulating through to the end of his thought/line,” which, while very Doctor-y, “does not help us understand what the Doctor is actually saying/thinking.”

While this does all seem a bit ridiculous, I must admit the first time I watched Life on Mars I had to keep the subtitles on the whole time to understand their Mancunian accents, and I’m Canadian (which is like being half British and half American, as far as I can understand it). I say, if you need subtitles, you need subtitles, and that’s okay. But let Capaldi act how he wants to act.

In other news, we have our first synopsis for the upcoming season 8 episode “The Caretaker,” written by Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat:

“The terrifying Skovox Blitzer is ready to destroy all humanity – but worse, and any second now, Danny Pink and the Doctor are going to meet. When terrifying events threaten Coal Hill school, the Doctor decides to go undercover.”

Roberts also wrote “The Shakespeare Code” and “The Lodger,” which this episode is said to resemble, except for with the addition of what Moffat is calling a “cool robot.”

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/capaldi-accent-and-synopsis/feed/0ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Round-Up: The Old Spice Guy, GRRM, Lee Pace, Joss, Tom Hardy, & More! - So much icy charity goodness!http://www.themarysue.com/als-round-up-2/
http://www.themarysue.com/als-round-up-2/#commentsSun, 24 Aug 2014 21:30:44 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=235500already raised over $50 million for charity, and the donations and videos don't seem to be slowing down. Here are some more videos of your faves getting soaked - and don't forget to send your own contributions (with or without ice) here through the MDA. ]]>The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has already raised over $50 million for charity, and the donations and videos don’t seem to be slowing down. Here are some more videos of your faves getting soaked – and don’t forget to send your own contributions (with or without ice) here through the MDA.

The Old Spice Guy

Mother of Pearl!

George R. R. Martin

“What is dead may never die!” GRRM accepts Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer’s challenge. Consider this punishment for all those amazing characters you killed off in Game of Thrones *muffled sobbing*.

Lee Pace

Accepting his sister’s challenge, Lee fulfills all our dreams by getting doused in slow-motion (bless him). There’s also a bonus bucket for Lee’s Prisoners of War co-star Berenice Marlohe!

Richard Armitage

After a performance of The Crucible on his birthday (August 22nd), Richard took the challenge outside the stage door with a bunch of his fans. Adorbs.

Tina Fey

The most adorable cop-out yet.

Destiny Ghost

That bucket came from the moon!

Maisie Williams

I feel like it’s perhaps a touch dangerous to do this on a window ledge? But, whatever, Maisie remains flawless and wonderful.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/things-we-saw-today-631/feed/0FemShep Does A Dramatic Reading Of The Most Hilarious Mass Effect Tribute Song - But then, she should go.http://www.themarysue.com/femshep-dramatic-reading/
http://www.themarysue.com/femshep-dramatic-reading/#commentsSun, 17 Aug 2014 21:00:47 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=233556Mass Effect's FemShep - but she's also pretty fantastic to her fans and the gaming community. Here we have Hale doing a dramatic reading of Miracle of Sound's hilariously-brilliant tribute song, "Commander Shepard." It's everything you want it to be and more.
]]>

Jennifer Hale is amazing as Mass Effect‘s FemShep – but she’s also pretty fantastic to her fans and the gaming community. Here we have Hale doing a dramatic reading of Miracle of Sound’s hilariously-brilliant tribute song, “Commander Shepard.” It’s everything you want it to be and more.

And if you haven’t heard the original, allow me to introduce you to your new (and forever) jam. You can run like a krogan, fight like a leopard – but you’ll never be better than Commander Shepard.

]]>http://www.themarysue.com/femshep-dramatic-reading/feed/0This Hurts You: The Mass Effect Honest Trailer - Those elevators are no freaking joke.http://www.themarysue.com/mass-effect-honest-trailer/
http://www.themarysue.com/mass-effect-honest-trailer/#commentsSun, 10 Aug 2014 15:00:30 +0000http://www.themarysue.com/?p=231244Mass Effect. We're also of the opinion that parody is one of the highest forms of affection, so we were pretty stoked that the always-scathing Honest Trailers set their sights on our favorite game franchise (on the Citadel). Yes, your favorite squad member gets skewered. Yes, they rag on the ending. Yes, "Captain Janeway fantasies" is my new favorite euphemism.]]>

When we of the weekend editorial team aren’t doing our actual jobs, there’s an extremely high chance that we’re talking about Mass Effect. We’re also of the opinion that parody is one of the highest forms of affection, so we were pretty stoked that the always-scathing Honest Trailers set their sights on our favorite game franchise (on the Citadel). Yes, your favorite squad member gets skewered. Yes, they rag on the ending. Yes, “Captain Janeway fantasies” is my new favorite euphemism.